How immune cells in the lungs change during severe lung injury
Macrophage Plasticity in Inflammatory Lung Injury
This project looks at how specific lung immune cells change during severe lung inflammation to help guide better treatments for people with ARDS or acute lung injury.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Illinois at Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11172560 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would hear that researchers are focusing on different types of lung macrophages and how these cells switch between causing inflammation and promoting repair. They will study the cells' gene programs, the signals and cytokines they release, and their ability to eat microbes and clear dead cells. Laboratory work will include detailed cell and molecular analyses and may link findings to lung tissue or samples from people with ARDS. The overall aim is to find targeted ways to reduce damaging inflammation while keeping the lung's infection-fighting defenses intact.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults who have acute lung injury or ARDS, or patients recently hospitalized with severe lung inflammation or infection, are the most likely candidates for related clinical sample donation or future trials.
Not a fit: People without acute lung inflammation or with unrelated chronic conditions would not expect direct benefit from this project in the short term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new treatments that limit lung damage while preserving the body's ability to fight infections in ARDS patients.
How similar studies have performed: Previous animal and early human studies have shown that targeting macrophage behavior can change inflammation, but translating those findings into effective ARDS therapies remains a work in progress.
Where this research is happening
Chicago, UNITED STATES
- University of Illinois at Chicago — Chicago, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mehta, Dolly — University of Illinois at Chicago
- Study coordinator: Mehta, Dolly
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.